Did Zara Skip Sensitivity In Its Run For Creative Zeal?

Zara says there has been a “misunderstanding” over its latest advertisement campaign where mannequins were featured wrapped in a white plastic bag with missing limbs. Placed amid rubbles and broken cardboard, the campaign for the Spanish brand’s latest jacket series ‘ZARA Atelier’ had a haunting resemblance to the war-torn situation in Gaza.

The campaign has triggered a massive wave of protest over its controversial imagery that reminds one of the sensitivities of the war as one landed on their website. Over 17,000 Palestinians, with most being children, have been killed in hundreds of Israeli aerial attacks since October 8.

The campaign, ‘The Jackets’, featuring Kristen McMenamy, aimed to promote six new jackets. However, cracked stones, damaged statues and broken plasterboard caught the attention of the users. Some also pointed out that the dust on the plywood boards resembled the map of Palestine.

In no time, ‘BoycottZara’ started taking over social media with more than 100,000 comments with images of the Palestine flag appearing on Zara's Instagram posts about the photos. Following the backlash, the fashion brand pulled down the advertising campaign and said that they regretted the "misunderstanding". Zara said that customers saw "something far from what was intended when they were created".

"After listening to comments regarding the latest Zara Atelier campaign "The Jacket", we would like to share the following with our customers: The campaign, that was conceived in July and photographed in September, presents a series of images of unfinished sculptures in a sculptor's studio and was created with the sole purpose of showcasing craft made garments in an artistic context. Unfortunately, some customers felt offended by these images, which have now been removed, and saw in them something far from what was intended when they were created. Zara regrets that misunderstanding and we reaffirm our deep respect towards everyone,” Zara’s apology note read.

However, the post also shed light on an earlier message from Zara’s head designer, Vanessa Perilman, Perilaman told Palestinian model Qaher Harhash in 2021, "Maybe if your people were educated, then they wouldn't blow up hospitals and schools that Israel helped to pay for in Gaza. Israelis don't teach children to hate nor throw stones at soldiers as your people do.”

Between the blurred lines of what passes as creativity and what constitutes thoughtful creativity, Zara is not alone in falling foul over Gaza. British retailer Marks & Spencer was also criticised for its festive advert, which showed traditional paper hats being burnt in a fireplace. Accompanied with the caption, “This Christmas, do only what you love”, it was deemed offensive after the colours of the hats were seen to match those of the Palestinian flag. M&S withdrew the images and apologised, explaining they were created before the latest round of hostilities.

Although the creative campaign was shot “earlier”, the sheer insensitivity masked as ‘creativity’ makes us question how in the complex line of shooting, editing, and releasing the campaign, the plight of Palestinians missed Zara’s conscience. Gaza is not elsewhere, it’s here. And fashion brands must be reminded of that. 

In this context, Outlook looks at how fast fashion brands often “misunderstand” the larger implications of their creative zeal that, at times, is at best tone-deaf and exploitative.